2011 UCI Road World Championships
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Event: 19-25 September 2011
Brian Cookson, British Cycling's President (and newly appointed President of the UCI's Road Commission) has issued the following statement at the conclusion of the GB Cycling Team's highly successful Road World Championships.
At the conclusion of the Championships, I would like to congratulate our two new World Road Champions, Mark and Lucy, and all our other medallists. I have attended the World Road Championships for many years and this was by far the most successful for the British team.
In particular of course, Mark's historic victory in the Elite Men's event was truly remarkable, and will surely raise his profile even further, both nationally and internationally. How great it will be to see him in the rainbow jersey, especially in the year of the London Olympics.
I can vividly remember the last time that Great Britain won the Men's Road Race title - Tom Simpson in 1965 at San Sebastian - as that was the year that I first joined a cycling club and discovered our wonderful sport. I also remember the magnificent year - 1967 - when Graham Webb and Beryl Burton won the Amateur and the Women's Championships respectively.
In many ways they were talented individuals who put in exceptional performances. This year, it was the strength of the entire team which was really apparent. What really stood out for me was the spirit which prevailed throughout the Championships. And in the Elite Men's race the superb measured strength of the entire team was apparent throughout the race - totally dominating and controlling in a way that we have never before seen at this level.
Throughout the week it has been a magnificent honour and privilege to see such a strong team in action, and huge thanks are due not only to the riders but also to Dave Brailsford and all the back up staff, as well as to everyone involved right the way back to the grass roots of our organisation, where all these riders began their success in our sport.
I'm sure that Mark and Lucy's success will lead to many, many more youngsters taking up our sport - as this fantastic golden era continues. This has been a great day in a great week that all of us will remember for the rest of our lives.
